County profile · Illinois
Hardin County, IL market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Hardin County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 3,588
- −1.8% since 2020
- Households
- 1,545
- Median household income
- $54,271
- Median home value
- $103,800
- Jobs located here
- 703
- Market scores
- Not scored
- Counties under 10,000 people aren’t given a market score, since a few businesses can swing their figures.
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Hardin County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Hardin County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 3,588 people live in Hardin County, in 1,545 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Hardin County declined 1.8%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in Hardin County is $54,271 a year, 33% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Set against the U.S., households in Hardin County spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 106, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (46).
Counties under 10,000 people aren’t given a market score, since a few businesses can swing their figures.
All 56 business types in Hardin County
Counties under 10,000 people aren’t given a market score, since a few businesses can swing their figures. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and cafes | 13 | 84.1 | $363K | 98 | 3 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 7 | 45.3 | $675K | 102 | 3 |
| Auto repair and car care | 5 | 32.4 | $314K | 117 | Under 3 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 5 | 32.4 | $363K | 238 | Under 3 |
| Gas stations | 4 | 25.9 | $1M | 43 | Under 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 4 | 25.9 | $2M | 60 | Under 3 |
| Convenience stores | 3 | 19.4 | $2.7M | 35 | Under 3 |
| Pizza | 2 | 12.9 | $2.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 6.5 | $1.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 1 | 6.5 | $4.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | 1 | 6.5 | $1.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 1 | 6.5 | $2.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 1 | 6.5 | $2.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 1 | 6.5 | $1.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Funeral homes | 1 | 6.5 | $333K | Too few | Under 3 |
| Grocery stores | 1 | 6.5 | $8.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Hair salons | 1 | 6.5 | $1.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Insurance agencies | 1 | 6.5 | $2.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Real estate | 1 | 6.5 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 1 | 6.5 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 1 | 6.5 | $1.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | 1 | 6.5 | $1.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Electricians | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Gyms | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Home repair trades | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pest control | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pet businesses | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Property management | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Spas and skin care | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in Hardin County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $1.6M | $1,018 | 106 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $4.1M | $2,659 | 102 |
| Food away from home | $4.7M | $3,057 | 75 |
| Groceries | $8.2M | $5,288 | 84 |
| Personal care products and services | $1.2M | $801 | 80 |
| Child care and other personal services | $413K | $268 | 46 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $907K | $587 | 60 |
| Medical and dental services | $1.8M | $1,174 | 91 |
| Pets | $997K | $645 | 71 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $2.5M | $1,606 | 78 |
| Vehicle insurance | $2.5M | $1,633 | 83 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $3.4M | $2,222 | 74 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $1.6M | $1,021 | 72 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $18.5M | $11,946 | 72 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Hardin County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 3,588−1.8% since 2020
- Households
- 1,545
- Median age
- 52.6
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 80%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 177 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 20
- Median household income
- $54,271
- Average household income
- $64,029
- Median home value
- $103,800
- Jobs located here
- 703
- Daytime population
- 3,107Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Hardin County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Hardin County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Illinois 8
- Pope County, IL3,739 people
- Gallatin County, IL4,819 people
- Saline County, IL23,213 people
- Massac County, IL13,865 people
- Johnson County, IL13,376 people
- Williamson County, IL66,876 people
- White County, IL13,619 people
- Hamilton County, IL7,916 people
Questions
How fast is Hardin County, IL growing?
Population estimates put Hardin County at 3,588 people in 2025, down 1.8% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 1,545 households.
How much do households in Hardin County, IL spend?
Households in Hardin County spend about $18.5M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $8.2M on groceries and $4.7M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Hardin County runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 106, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (46).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Hardin County, IL?
The score leaves out counties under 10,000 people, where a handful of businesses would swing it.
How does Hardin County, IL compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Hardin County is $54,271, 33% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 1.8% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $103,800, against $332,700 for the U.S.
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Markets with fewer than 5 map listings of the type, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored, since a few businesses can swing their figures.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Hardin County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Illinois · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Hardin County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Hardin County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.